Material counting and stacking apparatus



4 Sheets-Sheet l um um# m J. W. FAY

\Q A. lNl/ENTOR. D .QQ/2 i@ @y MATERIAL COUNTING AND STACKING APPARATUS July 20, 1954 Filed Feb. 17, 195o .52% |1|||| r GEHT July 20, 1954 J, w, FAY

MATERIAL COUNTING AND STACKING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ff/Ey Filed Feb. 17 1950 July 20, 1954 J. w. FAY

MATERIAL COUNTING AND STACKING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 @E Filed Feb. 17, 1950 INVENTOR. am@

V QT/w MAL ma' E56/7 B Y July 20, 1954 1 W FAY v 2,684,161

MATERIAL COUNTING AND STACKING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 17, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented July 2Q, 1954 MATERIAL COUNTING AND STACKING APEARATUS Joseph W. Fay, Villa Park, Ill., assigner to Schulze and Burch Biscuit Company, Chicago, Ill., a

corporation of Illinois Application February 17, i950, Serial No. 144,809

d Claims.

My invention relates to apparatus for counting and stacking material which is in the form of tablets. More particularly, my invention relates toA apparatus for segregating a quantity of comestibles such as soda crackers or graham crackers, into piles having a predetermined number of comestibles therein, and thereafter removing said piles of comestibles to a conveyor.

The principal object of my invention is to provide apparatus which counts and stacks material ci the type indicated above at high. speed, yet which is positive in its action so that each pile of material contains an identical number of tablets.

Another object of my invention is to provide apparatus which segregates loose comestibles such as soda crackers or graham crackers into piles suitable for packaging.

Another object of my invention is to provide apparatus which does not damage or crush comestibles as fragile as soda crackers, even though the apparatus is operated at high speed.

Another object of my invention is to provide apparatus which is of simple, rugged construction, and dependable in operation.

The foregoing objects are fully met by my invention, which in its broad aspect comprises means for stacking a supply of material. in the form of tablets, a member movable relative to the stack of tablets in a recurring cycle, the stach of tablets being positioned so as to be in substan tia-ily constant contact with said member, means on said member for engaging and removing successively from the stack of tablets during each cycle of operation of said apparatus, a predetermined quantity of tablets, means for simultaneouslv receiving and stacking said selected tablets as they are discharged from said selecting means, and means for removing the stacked tablets at the end or" each cycle of operation of the apparatus.

In order that my invention may be more fully disclosed, reference is had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form of apparatus embodying the foregoing and such other prinn ciples, and capabilities as may be pointed out as this description proceeds, or as are inherent in the present invention. For puru poses of clarity in exposition, the following de.- scription explicit and the accompanying drawings are detailed, but it is distinctly to be underm stood that said exposition is illustrative only, and that my invention is not restricted to the particular details recited in the specication or shown in the drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of material counting and stacking apparatus embodying my invention, said view being taken in section on the line l-l of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front elevational View taken in section on the line 2 2 of Figure lf;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevational View taken in section on the line 3--3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary rear elevational View taken in section on the line 4 4 of Figure 1, the raised position of the gate member t8 being shown in dotted outline;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary rear elevational View taken in section on the line 5-5 of Figure l;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail in side elevation of a ringer comprising a portion of the link belt drive of the embodiment shown; and

Figure 'Z is a fragmentary front elevational View taken on the line l-'l of Figure 1.

Like reference characters designate like parts in the drawings and in the description of my invention which follows.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures l and 2 thereof, the device is shown as including a pair of side frames lil and ll, uprights i2 and I3, and a cross brace ifi. A rotatable shaft l 5 extends between and is journaled by the side frames il] and li. Another rotatable shaft i6 is supported by the side frames le and l i and is positioned substantially parallel to the shaft-i5. The shafts l5 and it are interconnected by means of the sprocket il, the fleX- ible chain drive i8, and the sprocket i9, said sprocket i9 being-drivably connected to the shaft iii through the dog il'and the drive lug iii (Figure 5). The spring 22 acts to maintain the dog 2t! normally in driving connection with the lug El. By means of the clutch disc 23, which is mounted on the shaft 24 and positioned through the handle 25, the dog 2E! may be pivoted about the pin 25 and disengaged from the drive lug As best shown in Figures l and 2, a selector wheel 2i is secured to the shaft l5 for rotation therewith. The rim 28 of the wheel is divided into a stepped portion 3i and a dwell portion 32. The stepped portion 3| includes a plurality (eight in the embodiment shown) of flats Ztl and substantially radial shoulders 3@ arranged in stepped configuration, while the surface of the dwell portion 32 is smooth and unbroken.

Positioned on oppositeA sides of the selector wheel 2l are two substantially L-shaped panels 33 and 34, said panels 33 and 3i being supported .0.11 .the shaft l5 by the blocks 35 and 36, and on the shaft E@ by the blocks 31 and 38. The two sides 3S and 4@ of a chute 4I of substantial U-shaped cross-section, are secured to the upper portions of the panels 33 and 34. The bottom plate 42 of the chute 4l is shaped to lie substantially radially of the shaft l5, and terminates just abovetherimzZS of :thelwheel'21 '(-Figure 2).

A cross piece 43 extends between the panels 33 and 5d, and acts as a guide for the two slide rods 44 and 45. The upper endsof the rods 44 and 45 are connected together by the strap T56. The lower ends of the rods 4 4 ,and 45 carry a plate 41. By adjusting the screw '48, thestrap 46, which is spring loaded upwardly'by the spring 49, may be moved either upwardly or downwardly, whereby the vertical distance-.betweenfthe-plate 41 and the rim 28 of the wheel 21 may beadjusted. A center guide.. 50 and the two outer guides and 52 are fastened to the cross piece |13 and extend upwardly therefrom to `forrnwith `the plate 42 and-'the panels 33 land v434, a vertically disposed chute 4'whiohisdesignated generally by the'numeralf 53.

As best shown in AFigures land 3, a rotatable shaft 5d extends -between-thevpanels 35 and 34. A pulley 55 is Vsecured to thef'outer endof the shaft 54, Vand is connected tothe pulley Z5S of the drive -motor 51`by `the endless-y belt 58. The drive motor 51 isesecured-tovthe cross brace la. 4Two fmulti-grooved pulleys 59 and `S G are secured to the shaft 54 closely-'proximate @to the panels 33 and 3d, respectively. Two other multi-grooved pulleys 6'! and 62 are 'rotatably secured to the panels 33 and 34, in theA positionshown in Figure 2. `ljlndless, flexible belts-3 interconnect the pulleys 59 and 6l, while-similar flexible belts i5/ interconnect `the pulleys-Eiland t2. Mounted above the -belts 53, -and secured -to the panel 33, are two idler wheels515 and i(iii-each of `which has an outer rim of yieldable -material-such as foam rubber. Similar vidler wheels Bland "68 are positioned over the belts 64,'andfare 'rotatably secured to the panel 34.

As best shown 4in Figures and 2, two side `plates -69 and 1f! extend lengthwise of `the side frames I and H,-and are-secured to the panels 33 and 34 respectively. Each of the side plates lie-and 1? includesan-opening 'Il through which an aligning flapper Hex-tends. As shown in Figure",7, the dapper 1-2 is supported'by-the brackets 1-3', 14,-while a spring 1-5 interconnects the dapper shaft 1S and the-sideplate-Bldor 1B). "The pur- -pose and operation of the aligning flap 'l2 Awill Ibecome more apparentes Vvthis exposition proceeds.

`Referring-now-toligures l/-and 3, two sprockets "11- `and '1E are secured tothe shaft I5 closely Vadjacent to the inner sides of ktheside plates 'ES and iik respectively.k Endless link belts 19 and 3U are looped about Ythe sprockets 11 and 18, said vbelts 19 and 8U normally 'being drivably `connected to other 'material handling-mechanism. ,A plurality'of fingers-81 are secured to the link -belts 19 and 35, atl regular intervals, 'as shown. Referring nowto kFigure 6, each ofkthe fingers '81 'includes a coilfspringSZ, one end of which is secured to the link 83. A flexible -tube 84 .sur- -rounds the coil spring .82, and `is held in place `over said coil spring 82 bye-the :fastener 3.5. To support the upper spans of :the link 'belts 'iS-.and 283,1 provide two runners-.861.andw81.

As `.best shown -in 'Figures `1 uand2, a strip 58 issecuredto the 'block 819, 4which block lies interlmediate thesprocketsf'lf and 'L8 and Ais supported fastener S11. 'example be a piece of fairly flexible rubber or plastic, extends from the arm 93, and is secured 4 by the shaft i6. The end of the strip 8S nearest to the wheel 21 is shaped as a substantially L-shaped trough Sie. The other end of the strip es rests upon a support member Si, which in turn is supported by the block S2 on the cross member 93.

Referring now 'to Figure .4, a bell'crank S4 is rotatably mounted on the pivot pin 'e5 which extends from the panel 34. An arm S35 is secured to one end of the bell crank 94 by the Agate member 58, which may for tosaid member -9"by the strap 99. The other `endrof thebell `crank 94 includes a cam follower lar displacement to the dwell portion 32 of the wheel 2?. To make positive the action of the cam lili and cam follower IDB, I provide a spring it which is connected between the bell crank 5M and a bracket 165 lextending from the side Aframe Hl. `Whenthe cam `follower .i60 is in contact with the rise portion |92 of the cam itl.,

`the gate lmember 98 is in the position shown Ain full line 'inFigure e, .in which case said member S'forms with the L-shaped trough'a substantially U-shaped receptacle designated generally fby the numeral ti. When the cam follower contacts the dwell portion H33, however, ythe bell .crank 94 Aturns .on the pin 95 to raiseV the gate member Sii'to .the position .shown in dotted outline in Figure 4. As the bell crank i513 revolves the gate member se 'to the raised position, the blug H11 contacts the spring. loaded :stop tem to damp vout acceleration forces growing out of ithe..quick ;acticn.:of the-cam dei.

Referring now tdFigure 3, lthe device is shown as including :a blower lne 'ELUS which isseoured to the panel 33 by the strap H8, and which terminates in a `nozzle i l l directed substantially downwardly into the U -shaped receptaclei Q6.

'Vyfhile fis" will be obvious to those skilled in the fart that my apparatus may be used to count and torstack a wide variety of objects having a more -or lessV uniform tablet shape, my invention has special-application to the counting-and stacking lof loose, freshly Vbaked 'crackers prepaiatory to their being packaged. advantageously, modern baking equipment and techniques produce crackers fof a highly uniform weight. Thus, the weight Aof a `box of crackers can Ybe accurately controlled within close 4.hrnts by packaging a predetermined nurnber of crackers therein. For er:- arnple, eight ,graham .crackers of a certain size and consistency, when selected at random, will weigh very .close to one-quarter pound. Thus by segregating loose crackers into stacks each containinga predetermined number of crackers, the packaging of crackers in one quarter, ene-half, and one pound packages, or in other desirable weight measures, is greatly facilitated.

My invention readily accomplishes this desirable end, as will be apparent upon consideration ofthe following description of one complete cycle of operation of the embodiment of the drawings, as applied to the counting and stacking of graham crackers. Referring to Figure 2, the freshly baked, loose crackers, designated by the numeral M2, Iare fed into the chute 4l, and upon striking the guides 5l and 52, are deected downwardly to lie within the chute 53 in stacked relation. When the link belts I9 and 80 are moving in the direction indicated, and the clutch mechanism of Figure 5 is in the operative position, the selector wheel 2l' turns in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed Figure 2. As each of the eight radial shoulders et of the stepped portion 3l moves beneath the stack of crackers II2, it selects and removes a cracker II2 from the chute 53. For each revolution oi the Wheel 21, therefore, a predetermined number of crackers II2 are selected and removed from the supply of crackers in the chute 53. In one commercial embodiment of my invention, the apparatus is constructed to handle graham crackers the dimensions of which are approximately 21/2 inches by 5 inches by 1A inch thick. In this exemplary device, the ats 2S of the wheel 2l are 21/2 inches long, while the radial shoulders 30 are 1A; inch high. Thus, as the wheel 2l' turns, it acts in the nature of a sprocket wheel in which one side of each tooth is iiat to receive and support momentarily a cracker while the other side is radially disposed to drive the cracker from the stack II2.

The plate lli on the strap IIS is set to allow the passage of crackers therebeneath one at a time as the revolving wheel 27 selects and removes them from the stack of crackers I I 2 in the chute 53. As the crackers H2 fall free of the plate tl, they are picked up by the moving belts 63 and Effi and thereafter discharged into the U-shaped receptacle ISS. To make positive the action of the belts et and 64, the idler wheels 65, 56, Bl, S8 are positioned to exert a slight pressure against the moving crackers II2.

During the time in which the stepped portion 3i of the wheel 2l is moving beneath the chute 53, the rise portion HB2 of the cam IIII contacts the cam follower Idil, to hold the gate member 98 in the position shown in Figure 2. When the wheel 2l' is in the position also shown in Figure 2, the fiingers Sla, Sie, have just moved beyond the gate member e3, so that the receptacle IBG is open to receive the crackers I I2. As the crackers kI I2 are discharged into the receptacle IIIS, they slide against the flexible gate member S8 and automatically stack themselves within said receptacle ille. The crackers leave the wheels B5 and 6l in a generally horizontal position, and at a velocity which insures that they stack in a neat pile within the receptacle Ille. Since the Wheel 2l selects eight crackers from the chute 53 during movement of the stepped portion 3I therebeheath, a total or eight crackers II2 is stacked in the receptacle Ii each time that the wheel 2 completes one revolution, Throughout the cycle of operation of the device, a stream of air is discharged from the nozzle III, to exert a slight downward pressure on the crackers within the receptacle Ille, to hold them in a compact pile. In practice, I have found that a nozzle discharge pressure of from four to six ounces is normally sunto-lent to prevent thel crackers I I 2 from oating and to hold them compactly in the receptacle It.

As the last flat 29 and shoulder 30 of the stepped portion 3! moves beneath the chute 56, the dwell portion ISS ci the cam IOI commences to contact the cam follower I llt. As this occurs, the

bell crank @Il turns on the pin S5 to the position shown in dotted outline in Figure 4, to raise the gate member 98. When the wheel 21 is positioned so that the beginning of the dwell portion 30 is beneath the chute 53, the ngers SIb, SIb are substantially'in alignment with the end of the 6 strip 88. In the time during which the dwell portion 32 is moving beneath the chute 53, the sprockets TI and 'I8 drive the link belts 'I9 and 8G to move the fingers Sib, SIb to the position of the lingers Sla, 8Ia in Figure 2. During this movement, the stack of crackers IIZ within the receptacle |06 is engaged by the lingers 2lb, Sib and moved out of said receptacle and along the strip 88. While the dwell portion 32 is beneath the crackers H2 in the chute 53, none of the crackers II 2 therein are removed due to the smooth uninterrupted contour of said dwell portion 3?.. As the wheel 2l' revolves back into the position shown in Figure 2, the cam iti moves the bell crank 94 to return the gate member eS to the down, or closed position. Since the crackers within the receptacle ist have been removed therefrom, the device is once again in readiness to remove a predetermined number of crackers I I2 from the pile of crackers in the chute 53, and to stack them in the receptacle Ict.

As the piles of crackers move along the strip 88, they successively contact the aligning flappers 12, 'I2 (Figure 1). The distance between the appers 72, 'I2 is normally somewhat smaller than the lateral dimension of the piles of crack ers. As each pile of crackers contacts the flappers l2, l2, they rotate slightly against the ac tion of the spring 15, l5, but in so doing, act to align the crackers into a neat pile. Thusy as each pile of crackers moves on to the support member SI, it is stacked in proper alignment for packaging. Normally the packaging operation involves nrst Wrapping each stack of crackers individually, and thereafter placing one, two or more wrapped stacks in a cardboard box. In practice, therefore, the member 9i and the link belts 'I9 and 80 usually are connected directly to wrapping machinery.

In the commercial embodiment of my invention above referred to, the selector wheel 2l turns at a speed of sixty revolutions per minute. Thus, the capacity of the machine is 3G60 stacks of graham crackers each hour, each stack containing eight crackers of two segments each. In another embodiment of my invention, 'which is designed to handle and stack soda crackers 4 inches by 41,@ inches by 741,2 inch thick, the wheel 21 revolves nity revolutions per minute. In this latter embodiment a total of eleven steps are placed in the wheel 27, so that the capacity of the machine is 3000 stacks, or 33,0% crackers each hour. Obviously the apparatus can be modified to count and stack other numbers of articles in each cycle of operation.

While the height of the radial shoulders 353 of the stepped portion SI can be dimensioned to select two or more crackers II2 or other tablet shaped articles from. the chute 53, in practice I find it desirable to select only one cracker IIZ or other object at a time, since this results in a more positive control of the stacking which takes place in the receptacle It. Similarly, I :dnd it desirable, in the case of handling and stacking crackers and other comestibles, to limit the height of the radial shoulders Sii to approximately one-half the average thickness oi said comestible, for the reason that the thickness of the comestible may vary appreciably. For example if the height of the radial shoulders 3S were the average thickness of a cracker II2, in selecting a cracker which is thinner than the average, the next succeeding cracker would be broken or damaged.

While the selecting means of my invention is acca-ici shown as comprising a revolving wheelhaving steps in the periphery thereof, it will be apparent tothose skilled in the art that other types of selecting means may be used, as long as during each cycle of operation a stepped, notched or similarly configured portion is moved relative to a stack of crackers or the like, and thereafter a dwellportion moves relative to saidstack, to provide time for the removal of the selected articles from the receptacle lilo or its equivalent.

Having thus fullyk disclosed my novel material handling and stacking apparatus, and demonstrated its utility by reference to a specic embodiment thereof, I. claim as my invention:

1. In apparatus for handling tablets such as soda crackers and graham crackers, the combination comprising: a chute having a discharge opening therein means for feeding a supply of said tablets to said chute to form a stack in said `chute above said discharge opening, a member movable relative to said discharge opening of said chute in a recurring cycle, in substantially continuous contact with the bottom of said stack, that portion of said member whichlcontacts said stack of tablets including a plurality of stepped sections and a smoothly lcontoured dwell section between the last stepped section and the beginstepped section, the length of each said :stepped sections being at least as long said tabet is in the direction in which said member is moving relative to said chute, the height of the steps between said stepped sections being .approximately one-half the thickness ci a tablet, whereby during each cycle oi operation of said member said stepped sections remove from said stack of tablets in said chute a corresponding number of said tablets, means for conveying said tablets from said member, a receptacle positioned to receive said tablets from said conveying means in stacked relation, inea-ns for directing a stream of 'air against said tablets in said receptacle to hold said tablets in a compact pile, said receptacle including a gate portion, mechanism operating said gate portion, means actuating said mechanism to open said gate during the period when said dwell section contacts said tablets in said chute, and means for removing said tablets froni said receptacle when said gate is open.

2. in apparatus for handling tablets such as crackers, the combination comprising: a selector wheel having a plurality of teeth in a portion and no teeth in another portion of the circumference thereof, each oi said teeth having one side thereof substantially radial and of a height which approximates one-half the vthickness o a tablet, the other side of said tooth being substantially hat and of a length equal to at least the length of a tablet, means for positioning a stack of tablets to bear against the circumference of said wheel7 means for turning said Wheel in a direction which brings said radial 4sides of said teeth successively into engagement with said stack oi tablets, 'whereby during each revolution of said wheel said teeth remove from said stack a predetermined number of tablets, means for conveying said tablets from said wheel, a substantially U -shaped receptacle positioned to receive tablets from said conveying means in stacked relation, said receptacle including a substantially L-shaped trough portion and a gate., mechanism for raising said gate, means actuating said mechanism when said other portion of the circumference of said wheel is in engagement with said .stack v,of tablets, and means 8, for removing the tablets from said receptacle each time said gate is actuated -by said mechanism.

3. In cracker counting and stacking apparatus, the combination comprising: a chute having a discharge opening therein, means for feeding loose crackers to .said chute to be in stacked relation above said discharge opening, a rst shaft and a selector meinber mounted thereon for rotation relative to said discharge opening of said chute and in substantially constant engagement with the stack of crackers iii-said chute, that portion of selector member which contacts-said stack of crackers including ay plurality of stepped sections and a smoothly contoured dwell section between the end stepped section and the beginning stepped section, the length of each of said stepped sections being at least as long as the dimension of a cracker in the direction in which said member moves past said chute, the height of the steps between said stepped sections being at least one-half the thickness of a cracker, whereby as said selector member moves relative to said chute a plurality of crackers are selected by said stepped sections and removed from said stack of crackers, a .second shaft and a pair of rotatable drive members on said shaft, said drive members spaced apart a distance less than the width of a cracker, astripI positioned above and between said drive members and mcluding a substantially L-shaped portion, a crank and a gate member moved by said crank, cam means on said rst shaft for actuating said crank to move said gate member between a first and second position as said stepped sections and said dwell sections are respectively in contact with said stack of crackers, said gate member in said first position and said L-shaped portion comprising a receptacle for crackers, means for conveying crackers from said selector member to .said receptacle, said receptacle positioned with respect to said conveying means to receive said crackers in stacked relation, said gate member in said second position being moved away fron"` said strip to open said receptacle, and kmeans ldriven by said drive members for removing Isaid crackers from said receptacle when said gate member is in said second position.

4. In cracker counting and stacking apparatus, the combination comprising; a nrst shaft, a selector wheel on said shaft, a chute positioned over said wheel means for stacking loose crackers within said chute lover said wheel, means for rotating said shaft and said wheel normally in one direction, said wheel including a plurality of stepped sections spaced alone a portion of the peripheral surface thereof. the length of each of said stepped .sections being at least as long as the dimension of a cracker in the direction in which said wheel moves beneath said chute, each of said stepped sections terminating in a a radial shoulder the height of which .approximates one-half the thickness of a cracker, the remaining portion of said peripheral surface of said wheel having a smooth. substantially arcuate configuration, whereby as said stepped sections successively move beneath and across said chiite a corresponding number of crackers are selected and removed from said stack of crackers in said chute, said remaining portion of said peripheral surface oi said wheel thereafter moving beneath chute without removing any crackers therefroniv a second shaft spaced from and substantially vparallel to said first shaft, a pair 'ofidrive sprockets on said shaft andspaced apart 9 a distance less than the width of a cracker, a strip positioned above and intermediate said sprockets, and extending toward said Wheel, the end of said strip upturned to form a stop, a pair of endless link belts looped about said pair of sprockets, pairs of iingers on said endless belts spaced apart a distance greater than the length of a cracker, drive means interconnecting said two shafts to bring a pair of said ngers substantially in alignment with said upturned end of said strip when said stepped portion of said wheel has moved just beyond said chute, a crank, a gate carried by said crank, a cam on said iirst shaft actuating said crank, said cam and crank positioning said gate substantially parallel to said upturned end of said strip when said stepped portion of said wheel is beneath said chute, said gate and said upturned end of said strip being spaced apart to receive crackers therebetween, and means conveying said selected crackers from said wheel to stack them successively onto said strip between said gate and said upturned end, said cam and crank raising said gate after said stepped portion of said wheel has moved beyond said chute, whereby said pair of fingers on said endless belts move the stacked crackers along said strip.

References Cited in the lle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,217,372 Vincent Feb. 27, 1917 1,350,755 Vincent Aug. 24, 1920 1,649,563 Boettcher Nov. 15, 1927 1,701,760 Pafen Feb. 12, 1929 1,886,378 Dearsley Nov. 8, 1932 2,109,050 Quick Feb. 22, 1938 2,318,132 Welk May 4, 1943 2,496,438 Brandt Feb. 7, 1950 

